25 gorgeous fall photos to inspire distinctive New England inn getaways

Rabbit Hill Inn wreathWith the first day of fall upon us, and Mother Nature at work turning leaves already in Northern New England, we thought it was time to get you excited about what’s about to come as autumn colors turn in DINEcountry.  The beauty of planning a romantic getaway to any of the 12 Distinctive Inns of New England (DINE) is that fall colors gradually turn from early September into Mid-November. So time your outdoor fun right, and you can follow the color from the Northern reaches to the Southern parts of DINE country.  In case you missed it, we offered advice for timing your DINE getaway with peak foliage in last week’s blog.

We’re willing to go out on a limb (yes, pun intended), and tell travelers that no where else in the world is fall color more beautiful than in DINE country.  With blue ocean and lakes as a backdrop for some inns, and mountains and rivers for others, you’ll find leaf peeping in New England just about as pretty as it gets.  Add in beautifully decorated inns with crackling fires, amazing beds, and the perfect breakfast to start the day, and your fall foliage getaway to any of the DINE inns is sure to be a winner.

Sit back and take an armchair tour through what’s in store throughout New England during your fall foliage getaway. Starting with Northern New England to the Southern parts, here’s what’s in store. We’ll start at the Grafton Inn in Grafton, VT with the Grafton Inn.

Grafton Ponds, mountain biking, Grafton, VT

The foliage surrounding Grafton Ponds is really beginning to show its true color. Enjoy miles of trails and foliage viewing from the seat of your bike.

Grafton Inn fall

Corn stalks and pumpkins provide additional color at Grafton Inn.

Next stop is Rabbit Hill Inn, located in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

Rabbit Hill Inn, fall foliage

Guest, Joe Ruddy captured this beautiful image of the Rabbit Hill Inn amidst peak fall color. It’s not quite at that point yet, but in a few weeks, this is what you’ll be treated to.

Fall porch scene at Rabbit Hill Inn

Guests relax with innkeeper, Donn, at Rabbit Hill Inn.

Moving onward to New Hampshire, fall colors surround Squam Lake in a beautiful landscape during fall foliage season at Manor on Golden Pond.

Fall colors, Lakes Region, NH

Fall colors ring the many lakes in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, home to Manor on Golden Pond

Tea is served at Manor on Golden Pond

Fall colors aren’t just outdoors. Enjoy tea time at the Manor, filled with sweet treats with harvest hues.

Chesterfield Inn is decorated with pumpkins and mums throughout the fall season.

Chesterfield Inn, fall decor

Fall colors greet guests at the entry to Chesterfield Inn.

Yoda, Chesterfield Inn's cat

Yoda, the Chesterfield Inn’s feline innkeeper, poses for his fall photo on the front step.

From New Hampshire, we travel to Maine, where fall colors are already lighting the landscape in Kennebunkport near Captain Jefferds Inn, as fall colors have come a little early this year.

decor at Captain Jefferds Inn

Pumpkins, mums and fall foliage adorn the doorways at Captain Jefferds Inn. The photo header at the top of this blog shows off the fall decor at Captain Jefferds Inn too.

Fall wreaths at Captain Jefferds Inn, Kennebunkport, ME

Each of the doors at Captain Jefferds Inn offers a beautiful fall wreath.

Up in Camden, where the mountains meet the sea, fall foliage is ringed by the beautiful Camden Harbor and gardens glow at Camden Maine Stay Inn.

Fall foliage in Camden, Maine viewed from Mt Battie

The view of Camden Harbor from atop Mount Battie. Photo by Claudio Latanza, Camden Maine Stay Inn innkeeper.

Fall decor at Camden Maine Stay Inn

Camden Maine Stay’s decorations include Japanese pumpkins and apples for guests.

From Maine we head south to Massachusetts.  First stop is in Marblehead, MA where the Harbor Light Inn welcomes fall with crackling fires and gorgeous sunsets.

An enormous supermoon rises over Marblehead harbor filled with boats. Source: Pinterest.

Return after a day of Halloween festivities and leaf peeping to a cracking fire in your room.

Go West young man, and discover fall in the Berkshires, starting with Historic Deerfield, and the Deerfield Inn.

A fall fog over Historic Deerfield, Ma

Fog settles on fall mornings around Historic Deerfield, accentuating the gorgeous colors.

Deerfield Inn fall decorations.

A simple and natural fall welcome to the Deerfield Inn.

Continuing south into the Berkshires, the next stop is in Lenox home, to the Gateways Inn & Restaurant, and filled with fall color at farm markets and gorgeous mountain views.

Berkshire farm stands near Lenox, MA

Fall pumpkins and gourds are found at the many farmstands near the Gateways Inn.

Fall over Lenox, MA

Sunset over Lenox adds to the yellow hues. Photo source: Lenox Chamber of Commerce.

Next stop, Cape Cod! As we head further south in DINE country, fall foliage comes later and later.  Schedule your fall visit to Captain’s House Inn in nid-to-late October or early November and there’ll still be color.

fall gardens at Captain's House Inn.

Fall mums in the gardens at Captain’s House Inn add color throughout the fall months.

fall at Captain's House Inn

Twinges of color dot the trees at Captain’s House Inn. Color comes a little later in the season here.

In Rhode Island, fall colors are not just harvest hues, but also the reds of roses that bloom all the way into November at Cliffside Inn.

Roses at Cliffside Inn

Roses stay in bloom at Cliffside Inn all the way into November.

Cliffside Inn fall decor.

Double front doors mean double wreaths at Cliffside Inn during fall months.

And last stop on our fall armchair tour is Niantic, CT and the Inn at Harbor Hill Marina. Fall colors are found in beautiful sunrises and fabulous autumn decorations here.

Niantic fall sunrise

A fall sunrise seen from Inn at Harbor Hill Marina offers gorgeous fall colors.

Fall wreath at Inn at Harbor Hill Marina

Innkeeper, Sue hangs her most recent creation on the doors of the inn to celebrate the fall season.

Start planning your fall foliage getaway at the 12 Distinctive Inns of New England by clicking on links below that will take you directly to each of their websites.

In Rhode Island: Cliffside Inn in Newport

In Connecticut: Inn at Harbor Hill Marina in Niantic

In Vermont:  Rabbit Hill Inn in Lower Waterford & Grafton Inn in Grafton

In Maine:  Captain Jefferds Inn in Kennebunkport & Camden Maine Stay Inn in Camden.

In Massachusetts:  Harbor Light Inn in Marblehead, Gateways Inn & Restaurant in Lenox, Deerfield Inn in Historic Deerfield and Captain’s House Inn in Chatham on Cape Cod.

In New Hampshire:  Manor on Golden Pond in Holderness & Chesterfield Inn in West Chesterfield.